Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"Eh..." Adrian was left dumbfounded at Ardel's words. 'Were we that obvious?'

'No, it's probably Aria who acted differently. That's why they found out.' Adrian shook his head while not noticing all the others looking at him and sighing.

"Come on guys, let's go now. We can talk about all this on the way." Adrian said as he stood up as well.

The others nodded and they all left the dorm and made their way to the Missions Hall.

_____ ___ _

The dark, ominous air of the ruin surrounded them as they entered the inner chamber. The atmosphere shifted dramatically—dense shadows clung to the walls, pulsating with an eerie rhythm, and the temperature dropped, sending chills down their spines. Despite the cold, the five young warriors remained unfazed, their expressions hardened in preparation for the battle ahead.

A monstrous growl reverberated through the chamber, and out from the swirling darkness emerged the Nightmare Fiend. It was a grotesque creature, its form constantly shifting as if made from the very shadows themselves.

Screee-!

Two piercing red eyes gleamed from its amorphous head, and its twisted mouth opened to let out a spine-chilling scream.

The sound hit the group like a wave, a high-pitched shriek designed to induce hallucinations, illusions, and nightmares.

'Kekeke...?'

But to the monster's confusion, none of them faltered. None of them hesitated. The five warriors charged at the beast without any sign of fear, unaffected by its terrifying abilities.

"?!"

Surrounding their bodies was a faint, nearly invisible white light—an ethereal shield protecting their minds from the fiend's dark magic.

The young man at the front, Adrian led the charge, his eyes sharp and focused. He could see the frustration building in the Nightmare Fiend as its screams failed to affect them.

Scrreee-!

It screeched again, but the group advanced, their pace unwavering.

The monster flinched, hesitating as it tried to understand why its powers weren't working. Its movements grew more erratic, and its red eyes flickered in panic. It hadn't encountered prey that could resist its hallucinations before.

And ones it did were powerful than it, several times.

As Adrian closed in, he raised his arm, and his voice echoed through the dark chamber.

"Light!" he shouted, his tone carrying a command of authority.

Burst-!

The next moment, the room was flooded with pure white light.

For several seconds, the blinding radiance overwhelmed everything, drowning out the darkness in a sea of brilliance. The Nightmare Fiend screeched, its form contorting violently as it recoiled, nearly blinded. The shadows it controlled faltered, and its red eyes flickered with fear as it struggled to regain control.

But it was too late.

Adrian struck first, his sword slicing through the air with a swift, lethal precision. The blade glowed with the same pure white light as it cut into the fiend's shifting body. The Nightmare Fiend barely had time to react before the rest of the group unleashed their attacks.

A powerful whirling tornado formed at Kairen's command, engulfing nearly half of the monster in a chaotic storm of wind and debris, throwing it off balance. Lila followed immediately, her Blazing Spears of fire streaking through the air, piercing into the fiend's dark mass, the flames igniting parts of its shadowy form like an inferno.

Aria, with a wave of her hand, summoned Ice Shards, each one sharp as a dagger, which rained down on the creature, slowing its movements and trapping it in place.

The Nightmare Fiend howled, its form becoming more unstable, struggling to maintain its coherence as the attacks from all sides continued to batter it.

Ardel darted in, his sword flashing in the white light as he struck with controlled power, each swing precise and devastating. His focus was intense, exploiting the weak spots in the creature's form that the others had created. The Nightmare Fiend screeched in agony, its body disintegrating under the relentless assault.

The Nightmare Fiend, now almost completely overwhelmed, lashed out in desperation, swinging its massive claws in a wild arc. But it was too late; the combined onslaught of wind, fire, ice, and steel had torn it apart.

With a final, shuddering scream, the fiend's form disintegrated, fading into nothingness, leaving only the fading echoes of its nightmarish cry behind.

The chamber returned to its eerie silence, the white light slowly dissipating. The group of young warriors stood victorious, their breathing heavy but their spirits high. Adrian lowered his sword, the holy glow fading from the blade.

"That was... smoother than I expected," Kairen muttered, his eyes scanning the room for any remaining threats.

Lila grinned, the fire still flickering in her eyes from the adrenaline of battle. "Told you we were getting stronger!"

Adrian sheathed his sword and turned to the group, a satisfied smirk on his face. "The light barrier worked out well this time. Or else you would experience nightmares again."

Aria nodded, wiping sweat from her brow. "We're definitely improving, but that thing was fast. We'll have to stay sharp."

Ardel, still catching his breath, added with a grin, "I think we did more than just 'stay sharp.' We completely wrecked that thing."

Adrian chuckled, glancing at his teammates. "I promised it would be worth it, right?"

"And the fourth ruin is now down," Adrian said, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. "That leaves us with three more before we clear this entire area."

Kairen stretched his arms with a tired but contented smile. "I don't even want to think about how we barely survived the first time we were here."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Ardel groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Those nightmares were no joke. I was seeing illusions for what felt like hours after we left. I swear I am not gonna sleep for days."

Lila laughed softly, crossing her arms. "We almost gave up back then. But now... look at us. That Nightmare Fiend didn't even stand a chance this time."

Adrian nodded, recalling their first try in these ruins. And honestly speaking...

It had been chaotic.

Way terrible than any of them expected.